


A New Android To Care For

by Sketchy_d00d



Category: Almost Human (TV)
Genre: OC, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 02:27:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20538644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sketchy_d00d/pseuds/Sketchy_d00d
Summary: On a mission John and Dorian find a small android girl. Dorian, not wanting to leave her there, decides to take her to Rudy. Slight Jorian. Rating may go up. HIATUS (possibly permanent).





	1. He's Not Good With Kids Or Cats

**Author's Note:**

> This one's old, like ooooooooooold old. I might revisit it and revise it after I rewatch AH.

Why the hell would you bring a kid here?" John glared at Dorian then at the small silver haired girl who hid herself behind the DRN.

"Why not?" Dorian glanced at the kid then to John. "It would be unprofessional to abandon someone who came to us for help."

"That's not my point, what the hell are we supposed to do with her?"

"Don't be mean John, she's still frightened and uneasy." Dorian knelt in front of the small girl and held her hand. "Don't worry little one, you'll be safe with us."

"With you. I'm not going to have anything to do with this." John turned on his heel before Dorian could reply but was stopped when a small hand gripped his sleeve.

"Don't go." The girl sniffled. "I'm scared." Tears welled in her violet eyes. "Don't leave me."

John looked at Dorian. "What if this is a trap. Those terrorists could have sent her to spy on us or something."

"She's just a small child! You wouldn't leave your son on the streets alone and cold."

"She's not my daughter. She's a synthetic, just like you Dorian. She could have been programmed by those bastards to act all innocent and catch us off guard. I don't trust her." John turned again and walked back to the car.

"John, listen to me. We can have Rudy run some tests, see if she is a threat. If she is we can reprogram her, she doesn't have to be considered trash." Dorian spoke as he jogged after his partner.

John seemed to think it through a bit before speaking. "Fine, but the first sign that she's a threat during the car ride I won't hesitate to put a bullet in her head right there and then."

The small girl smiled slightly. "Thank you Papa." John stiffened slightly and looked at Dorian.

Dorian only chuckled. "It seems like she likes you John."

"This is going to be a long car ride... What's your name kid?"

"Cat." She smiled.

** _'He doesn't do well with kids or cats.'_ **

John seemed to take in a deep, forced, breath before replying. "Come on Cat, let's get you back to the lab so Rudy can check you out."

Dorian smiled softly with a quiet chuckle and picked the small synthetic girl up. He settled her in the back seat and made sure she was securely buckled before going to the passenger seat. "Don't worry Cat. John will warm up to you within time."

"Shut up." John mumbled as he started the car and drove off.

* * *

"Well her programming seems to be the same as Dorian. She's much more advanced, she's no threat. Besides she's just a child so even if she had been programmed to bring disaster she wouldn't have gotten much done. Her programming is made to make her seem more human, meaning she has feelings like pain. She also seems to have a type of blood. So if she gets cut she will bleed, like a normal human, and as I'm already sure you know she also has tears." Rudy explained to both John, who had been against the whole thing, and Dorian, the one who was more accepting.

"Anything else we should know Rudy?" John scowled as he asked feeling very much like a worried father who was talking to a nurse after being informed that his child had just broken an arm or leg.

"She was made to be like a real human, as I've already informed you, but not just that. She was made to be the daughter of a couple who couldn't have a child, weather that have been a male and a male or a female and a female or just a man and woman where the woman couldn't reproduce is unsure. So for the time being you and Dorian will have to act as her parents, until we can find out who she was meant for." Rudy explained, keeping the attention of both men meaning no one noticed when Cat appeared behind Rudy's legs.

"I'm hungry." She tugged on Rudy's sleeve slightly.

"That's another thing, unlike Dorian her body reacts like a human, meaning she needs to eat and drink." Rudy spoke not truly realizing that the child he was talking about had appeared right behind him. "So if she doesn't get food she is liable to starve and-," the scientist jumped as he registered that the small girl was right there, "hello precious." He smiled slightly.

"Uncle Rudy I'm hungry." She blinked her violet eyes and glanced at John and Dorian.

"What would you like to eat?" Rudy knelt down to be level, sort of, with the small girl.

She bit her cheek and her eyes glossed over slightly, a soft violet light glowed on the side of her face. "Cookies!" Her eyes lit up and she smiled.

"No! No sugar before a real meal." John spoke before Rudy could reply.

Cat's attention shifted over to him and she frowned. "Papa..." She sniffled and tears filled her eyes.

"No."

"John, be kind. She's just a child." Dorian murmured softly as he picked the child up. "How about one cookie? Then you eat something real?"

"Ok." The small girl sniffled lightly and hugged his neck.

"What's she going to eat then?" John asked, now standing beside Dorian looking thoroughly confused.

"How about ramen?" Dorian offered, sending a sly smirk to John who made no protest against the offer.

"Ok Papa." She smiled slightly and rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe away her tears.

"Good." Dorian smiled. "John is buying."

"Hey! I never-"

"Ah, ah, ah." Dorian smirked. "You want to be a good fatherly figure don't you? Then you'd buy your daughter lunch."

"She's not my daughter."

"Papa." Cat whimpered slightly giving him her best puppy-dog eyes.

John scowled for a minute longer, staring into her violet eyes the whole time, before sighing deeply and ruffling her hair. "Fine... I'll consider you my daughter..." Dorian smiled at the way John seemed to accept Cat. John glowered at Dorian slightly. "Though I hardly see how buying her lunch would be 'fatherly' it seems like something a lover would do, and she's far too young for me to be her lover."

"You can still love a four-year old John. It would just be more of a friendly or family type love." Rudy stated as Cat busied herself with tracing the soft blue lights that Dorian showed for her.

"Oh yeah? Well I still hardly see why I-" Cat glanced at John and motioned for him to take her from Dorian's arms, obviously having lost interest in the light show for the time being. "You want me to hold you?" John asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Cat blinked, giving a slightly confused look before flexing her fingers.

"Alright." John took the small silver haired girl into his arms. "For a three year old-"

"Four." Dorian corrected.

"Yeah, whatever, Mommy Dorian. For a four year old she sure is smart."

"She's almost the same as Dorian. She's an android. She may be small but she is very smart." Rudy smiled slightly. "Well then, now that I've told you all that you seem to need to know I'll be going now. If you need anything else just call me."

"Alright." Dorian nodded.

"I'm hungry." Cat repeated as she tugged lightly on John's hair.

"Hey, kid, don't do that! Alright, alright! Come on Dorian." John sighed again as he headed up the stairs.

They walked down the hall in silence, well except for the few times when Cat got excited and accidentally pulled John's hair or kicked his chest. No one had bothered to stop them, seeing as no one had been in the halls. That is, until they came in front of Captain Maldonado's office.

"John? What's this kid doing?"

"I... Er... Dorian and I... Um... Dorian adopted her. She's a synthetic as well so we just had Rudy check her out a bit, you know, make sure her programming wasn't weird."

"So what you're saying is that you and Dorian either adopted or found this kid?" John looked to the floor unable to keep eye contact. "That's so sweet, just don't let her mess with your work or the other officers."

"Yes ma'am!" Dorian nodded with a soft smile.

* * *

"For a kid you sure do eat a lot." John commented, seeing that Cat was on her fifth bowl, two more and the meal would be half off.

Cat just let the soft violet lights flicker on the side of her face. She then put her fork down and glanced at her empty bowl longingly. "Papa can I have some more?"

"Now, now little one," Dorian murmured quietly as he scooped her into his lap, "I think you've had enough."

Cat blinked then yawned deeply. "Ok Papa." She rested her chin against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I'm sleepy."

"Does she require charging?" John raised an eyebrow as he watched the small child rub her eyes.

"I'm contacting Rudy now." Dorian glanced from Cat to John. "Ah, Rudy!"

"Yes? What is it Dorian?"

"John and I wanted to know if our little android here requires charging like I do?"

"No, no. A good night's rest and she should be ready to go."

"Alright. Thanks Rudy." Dorian smiled as he hung up. "She gets to sleep at your place John."

"What? I only have the one bed!"

"You have a couch." Dorian pointed out. "You can sleep there, let her have the bed."

"Fine. If it will shut you up for a while." John sighed as he grabbed his keys. "Get in the car."

"Yes, thank you." Dorian smiled and carried Cat to the car.

The car ride was short and quiet, Cat having fallen asleep leaned against the door. Dorian carried her up to John's apartment and settled her in John's bed. "Be good to her John. If she wakes up crying or panicked you have to comfort her."

"How the hell do I do that?" John frowned.

"You hug her. Let her sit in your lap."

"That would be awkward! I'm not going to do that!"

"John." Dorian frowned slightly. "Please, for me?"

"Fine! Whatever. Get in the car. I'd better get you to Rudy and get back here quickly." John sighed and grabbed his keys again.

* * *

John walked into his apartment again and sighed deeply. He went to his room to check on the small girl. Her nose was scrunched up in a pained and frightened expression. John watched her for a minute as she whimpered and twitched. He sighed again, taking his synthetic off and placing it on it's charging port, and climbed in bed beside her. He wrapped an arm around her small shoulders.

Cat made a soft sound and twitched awake looking up into John's eyes. "P-Papa?" She sniffled and buried her face in his chest.

"Shh. It's ok Cat." John murmured softly and stroked her hair. Cat seemed to physically relax and her breathing soon steadied showing that she was asleep again. John chuckled lightly and closed his eyes falling asleep as well.

* * *

John woke up with a start as Cat jumped on his chest. "Whoa there! Don't do that!" John snapped as he pushed the girl off of him.

"I'm hungry papa." Cat giggled as she clung to his arm.

"Alright, alright. What do you want?"

"Pancakes!" Cat smiled and nuzzled his shoulder.

"Alright. Let's go pick up Dorian and go get pancakes."

"Yay! Pancakes!" Cat giggled and the side of her face glowed the soft violet light.

John chuckled as he put his synthetic leg on, grabbed Cat and his keys and headed for the door. He buckled her into the backseat and headed off to pick Dorian up.

* * *

Dorian smiled at Cat as he climbed into the passenger seat. "Hold these." John handed Dorian two wires that were connected to his coffee cup.

"John I'm not going to heat your coffee." Dorian sighed as he put the wires down. "Where are we going?"

"Pancakes!" Cat jumped up and down in excitement.

"John, you do realize I don't eat right?"

"That's exactly why I told her yes." John grinned as he flexed his fingers on the steering wheel.

"You're so cruel, John." Dorian chuckled lightly as he faked a pout.

"Sure, sure. Keep that up and I'll have to get a new partner."

Cat watched out the window of the car constantly analysing things as they passed by. She was staying silent just like the first time and only made soft short sounds on a few occasions. She jumped a few times, the violet lights springing to life on the side of her face.

"Cat, are you alright?" John raised an eyebrow as he looked in the mirror back to the small child. She jumped slightly, the lights fading, and brought her violet gaze to his dark brown. She nodded lightly and glanced at Dorian before returning her gaze to the window.

"Why didn't Papa stay home last night?"

John and Dorian shared a slightly puzzled look. "Me?" Dorian asked as he turned to look at her. She nodded, not bringing her gaze from the window. She seemed hurt which deeply confused John.

"Why wasn't Papa there?"

"I couldn't stay. I need to charge, I have no way of doing so at John's house."

"You can move your charger can't you? It's out of place in Uncle Rudy's lab." She glanced at him, sending imaginary daggers at him.

"No." John barely managed to not swerve off of the road as he processed what she had said. "He's not bringing that bulky station into my house."

"Papa." Cat seemed even more upset but she said nothing more instead settling on glaring out the window. She entertained herself with examining her small hands, causing them to light up with the same soft light that glowed on the side of her face.

Cat finished a plate of pancakes and pushed the empty plate to the centre of the table. She hadn't said a word to either men and instead set herself to the task of tearing up a napkin.

"Aren't you going to ask for more?" Dorian leaned over the table slightly and wiped the chocolate from her mouth.

"No. I'm not hungry." She scowled, glancing from Dorian to John, sparing a deep glare for the latter.

"John just say yes. She's obviously upset about it."

"About what?" John asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Let Papa move in." Cat muttered as she ripped the napkin in half.

"There's no room for him." John argued.

"The back room. I did a blueprint scan and there's another room." Cat looked up, the violet lights glowing with a soft red.

"That's new."

"John she's angry. You know it's only a matter of time until Captain Maldonado says I have to move in."

"And until then?" John took another long sip of his coffee. "Who's going to make me allow you to move into my house until then?" Dorian blinked and a soft blue light glowed on his face. "What's with the disco face?"

"Hello?"

"Dorian, since you and John will be caring for the kid I expect you to move in with them. It would be easier on the child and would also allow you to help John care for her."

"Can do Captain."

"Alright thanks."

The call ended with that. "What? What did she say? Dorian you'd better not-"

"She said she expects me to move in with you to make things easier on Cat. Having her parent figures live in two different areas would be to stressful." Dorian explained slightly.

"She said that? Oh come on! You have got to be kidding me, tell me this is a joke." John scowled, putting his half full -or half empty, depending on how you look at it- mug of coffee down.

"So Papa can move in? Papa's coming home tonight?" Cat asked, visibly perking up.

"Yes. I'm going to be moving in, weather Jong likes it or not. Captain's orders." Dorian smiled as the small girl did. He watched as she hopped down from her side of the booth and walked over to his side, struggling slightly to climb up.

She perched herself between the two and leaned against John slightly. "This is going to be a long day..."

* * *

Cat watched as John and Dorian pulled the charging station through the door. She sifted on the couch and the violet lights sprang to life again. "Papa... something tells me that you don't like having me here..."

"No, no. That's not it." John glared at Dorian slightly, silently warning him to stay quiet.

"He's not good with kids."

"Dorian." John growled slightly.

"... Or cats."

John grumbled something under his breath and Cat giggled. "Dorian."

"John. It's true. You know that."

"That doesn't mean you have to say it."

"Oh, but it does." Dorian grinned as they positioned the charging station in the corner of John's room.

"Why does it have to be in my room?" John protested. "You could've put it in the kitchen."

"Someone has to watch after Cat. Besides, you like me."

"Why do you insist on saying that?"

"It's alright John. I like you too." Dorian smiled as he picked Cat up. "We have the day off John. We should go spend the day with Cat."

"Fine. Let's go buy her some clothes so I don't have to ruin another one of my shirts." John scowled slightly as he grabbed his keys.

"Wait... you made the cute little dress she's wearing?" Dorian asked as he admired the black dress. It did look surprisingly like one of John's black shirts that had been cut and modified to fit her.

"I wasn't going to leave her to wear the stained dirty dress she had yesterday." John grumbled as he climbed in the drivers seat. "Just get in the car." Dorian smiled and did as told.


	2. Family Bonding

Cat ran around the clothes shop eagerly. She picked out a light blue dress that matched Dorian's 'disco face'. "Papa I want this one." She looked over to John and her cheek flickered.

"You want it because it's the same colour as Dee's disco face don't you?" John asked as he took the dress and added it to the small basket.

"Maybe." She giggled. "Can Papa choose one for me?" She looked up into his hazel brown eyes with a pleading look.

"How about some t-shirts and jeans? It would be a nice switch from dresses, besides if your other Papa and I ever have to take you on a mission your dress might get in the way." John spoke softly.

Cat tilted her head as she analyzed what he said. "Ok." She nodded slightly and looked around for Dorian. Dorian came around the corner of the isle with a small white teddy bear.

"John! Can we get this for her?" Dorian grinned as he walked up to them.

"You disappeared for a bear?" John said in exasperation.

"She's our child for now which means she needs not only care but love. What better way to show love than to give her toys?"

John raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing else as Cat timidly took the stuffed toy. She grinned at him. "Look at it! It's so fluffy!" She squealed and wrapped her small arms around it tightly.

"Fine." John sighed as they went to another isle. He blinked as he looked at a rack of small socks and other undergarments. "Dorian you get to get the things from this isle. I'll go get some shirts and pants for her to try on." His blush was almost nonexistent but it was positively there.

"Alright." Dorian said as John walked away. "Come on Cat."

* * *

Cat was settled in the back seat of the cruiser with her new bear in her lap. She stared out the window with a soft smile.

John flexed his fingers on the wheel. Dorian was leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. "So," John said breaking the silence, "is there anything else you need before we head back to my place?"

"I want to try ice cream." Cat said without hesitation.

"Is that it?"

"Can we go to the park?"

"It's getting dark out, do you really want to go today?" Dorian asked and looked back at Cat.

"I never said today." She said softly as she nuzzled her nose into the bear's soft, fake fur.

The two men were silent for a while before John pulled up to a noodle shop. "Come on kid, might as well get you some dinner."

Cat nodded silently and slid out of the car still holding the bear. "I want pork noodles." She said as she brought her violet gaze to John's hazel.

"You're not bringing the bear are you?" John asked cautiously.

Cat blinked before sticking her tongue out, her grip tightening on the bear. "Teddy is coming too." She said before grabbing Dorian's hand and walking beside him.

John said nothing more as they walked inside and were escorted to a booth. "Get me a beer and two bowls of pork noodles."

"Right away sir." The waitress bowed and walked off to another table.

Cat huffed and crossed her arms when John made her sit across from him. "John you've made her upset again." Dorian sighed as he slid into the booth beside Cat. "Hey, look at me."

Cat glared at John for a minute longer before bringing her gaze to Dorian's bright blue. She scowled. "What?"

Dorian only smiled, despite the small girl's sour tone. "I know where John keeps his candy stashed."

Cat visibly perked up at this and smiled devilishly. "Let us raid it later!" She thrusted a small fist into the air.

Dorian chuckled and then took on a blank face as the 'disco face' returned. "Hello?"

"Dorian where are you?"

"Um I'm out with John right now. Why?"

"Can you put him on?" Rudy's voice sounded excited and uncertain at the same time.

"Yeah. One minute." Dorian looked over to John. "Lean forward, I can't reach your ear piece." John sighed and did as told. Dorian placed his middle and index fingers on John's ear piece as he transferred the call.

"Hello?"

"Ah John! I have some, er, news. Weather it be bad or good is up to you."

"Well then tell me." John demanded as the waitress returned with the bowls of noodles and his beer. "Thanks." He nodded to her.

"Erm, I never said anything."

"Not you. I'm at dinner."

"Oh. Noodles I suspect?" Rudy asked.

"No I'm eating space rocks. Yes I'm eating noodles." John said as he broke the chopsticks apart. "Dorian could you help Cat?" He muttered as he noticed the small girl struggling.

"I can do it myself!" She cried and moved to where Dorian couldn't reach her.

"Ah speaking now is she? She was quiet as a mouse yesterday." Rudy chuckled. "Anyway the news, I was continuing to look at the information I got from her yesterday and I found that you can program her to age quicker or slower. Meaning in six mounts she could be five and six months from then six. Or in two years she'll be five and two more years she'd be six."

"No thank you. Having her age normally is good enough." John said through a mouthful of noodles. "Now if you'll excuse me," he said as e swallowed, "I'd like to enjoy my noodles and my beer."

"Alright. See you around, tell Cat I said hello."

"Goodbye Rudy." John sighed as he hung up.

"What did he say?" Dorian asked as Cat handed him the chopsticks, asking for help in a mute way. He broke them apart and handed them back to her.

"Something about being able to change how fast she ages. Nothing important."

Cat watched John eat for a minute to see how he was using the chopsticks and then tried to imitate. She growled softly as the noodles slipped and landed back in the bowl. She tried again, and once again failed. She put the chopsticks down and before John or Dorian could stop her she picked up some noodles and stuffed them in her mouth.

John stared, his chopsticks now empty and halfway to his mouth, before he put the chopsticks down and rubbed his face. "I'll go ask for a fork."

Dorian brought his gaze up to John's and chuckled. "Alright."

* * *

When John settled her in bed after having Dorian help her take a bath he went to take a shower himself. "Dee watch the kid."

Dorian looked up from the television. "Alright John." He got up and turned it off before heading to John's room to sit on the bed beside Cat. She was sitting there watching John as he walked around his room searching for clean clothes.

"Maybe we should've gone clothes shopping for Papa J. too." She spoke softly, mainly to herself.

"Shut up." John muttered.

"Do you have any board games John?"

"There might be a holographic one that my dad used to play with me. If I still have it that is. Check the closet." He said as he grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom.

The board game was indeed in the closet, buried under a pile of John's clothes that he had been to lazy to put up. "Monopoly." Dorian read as he put the box on the bed. He was reading the rules mentally.

"Can we play Papa?" Cat asked as she poked the box.

"Why not?" Dorian set it up on the bed and sat opposite to Cat. "Which piece will you be?"

"I want the car!" She said as she grabbed the small round chip with a picture of a car on it. "You be the dog." She grinned.

They placed their chips on the handheld device that connected to the board. Immediately a holographic car and a holographic dog appeared on the go space.

"I'll role first." Cat said as she picked up the blank cubes. She shook them and threw them down in the box. Two black dots were displayed on one and five on the other. "Seven." She smiled and pressed the button on her remote that said 'seven'. The holographic car moved seven spaces to the 'chance' space. She pressed the 'chance' button.

"Take a walk on the boar walk. Advance token to boardwalk." Cat read aloud. She grinned as her holographic car moved all the way around the board to said spot.

* * *

The next morning John woke up first, Cat with her head on his chest and Dorian charging. Not really wanting to disturb either he just lay there until Cat shifted and sat up rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Mornin' Papa." She mumbled as he sat up and hobbled over to his synthetic.

As he clicked it into place Dorian shifted as well. "Good morning John."

"Yeah, good morning." He yawned and walked back over to Cat. "Come on kid, we need to get going."

He picked her up, seeing as she was still sleepy and when she tried to stand she nearly fell over, and walked to the bathroom where he sat her on the closed toilet before leaving and returning with a pair of blue jeans and a shirt. He helped her put them on and tied her shoes for her.

Cat smiled tiredly before yawning. "I'm hungry."

"I know kid, I got some crackers in the kitchen." John said and picked her up again. "Dorian look in the pantry and get the box of crackers."

"Ok."

John grabbed his keys and waited for Dorian before they headed to the cruiser. Cat securely in the backseat with a box of crackers John started the car. He drove in silence, with the exception of Cat quietly munching on the crackers, until they came to a red light.

"You thirsty?"

"Mhm." Cat mumbled as she rubbed her eyes again.

"I'll stop by the next gas station to get a bottle of water, sound good?"

"Yeah."

Silence washed over them again as John continued driving. Soon he parked at a gas station and got Cat a bottle of water and not much later they were at the precinct.

"Alright kid come on." John picked her up and took her inside. As they passed Maldonado motioned for them to come in. "Yes?"

"How is she?"

"She's great Sandra." John smiled slightly as he shifted the position Cat was in.

"Would you like for me to watch her? For just a little while? Rudy called me and informed me of everything I'd need to know, besides you don't want her to get in your way."

"Well-"

"Rudy told me she's a nice kid and that she'd behave." Sandra seemed eager to watch over Cat for some reason.

"Auntie, I'm tired." Cat mumbled over John's shoulder an shifted to where she was looking a Sandra.

"You'll be fully awake soon." John reassured her. Cat nodded softly. "Just a couple of hours." John said as he handed Cat over to Maldonado.

Sandra beamed as John and Dorian left. "Auntie." She looked down at Cat and sat her in her chair. "Do you have any games?"

"I might have something." Sandra said, immediately beginning to dig through her desk's drawers.

* * *

Cat sat at John's desk and watched him curiously. She got bored quickly and her gaze wandered off. Her eyes rested on Richard Paul who was staring at her. She hopped down from the desk chair and wandered over to him. "Hi."

"Hello cutie." Richard smiled slightly and bent down. "What's your name?"

"Cat, and you?"

"I'm Detective Paul but you can call me Richard."

"Uncle Paul do you wanna play a game with me? I'm bored."

"I can't right now, sweetheart." He sighed and watched with a smirk as John started walking towards them.

"What? Are you a pedophile now?" John sneered as he came close enough for Paul to hear.

"Hello to you too Kennex." Richard smirked and stood up. "Cat here was just telling me how awful you are."

Cat raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Dorian take Cat and go to the lab." John ordered.

"Papa stop!" Cat yelled as John raised his fist. "Uncle Richard you stop too." She scowled. "No fighting." Both men looked at her, tears welling in her violet eyes.

They glanced at each other then back at the small child. "Sorry." They said to her.

Richard walked away leaving John, Dorian, and a very upset Cat standing there. "Remember that stash of candy Dee told you about yesterday?" Cat nodded slightly, confusion evident in her face. "I have one here too. It's in my desk, come on and I'll give you some." John smiled and lead Cat back to his desk.

"Candy." Cat cooed as she looked through the drawer. He had all sorts of candies, little fizzy candies, sour candies, gummy candies, chocolates, and even flavour changing candies. Cat picked out a handful of candies and settled herself in John's desk chair to eat it.


	3. A New Case?

Cat had fallen asleep leaned up against John's desk and the arm of his desk chair with a candy halfway to her mouth. John had smiled softly before disappearing to find a blanket to drape over her.

When he came back a brown leather jacket was draped over her. "Richard." John growled softly. He sighed anyway and tucked the blanket around her. "Sweet dreams." He whispered before kissing her forehead.

"You're really warming up to her aren't you?" Dorian smiled lightly as he leaned against the wall.

"So?" John shrugged trying to hide his faint blush. "Do we have a mission? A case we need to do?"

"There's one." Valerie said as she walked up behind him. "Their house burned down and the elder ran with the younger in his arms. We found them in an old car shed."

"Who?" Dorian asked.

"Them." Valerie nodded to a grey haired boy who was holding a black haired girl. "You can go talk to them."

"Can do." John grinned.

"You might want me to-"

"I handled that one kid and I can handle Cat, what's different about these two?" John shrugged.

Cat mumbled something and sat up stretching, causing the blanket to fall. "Papa?"

"Yeah?" John and Dorian said at the same time.

"Can I talk to them?" She pushed her bangs out of her face.

"It wouldn't hurt anyone. It would probably make them feel more comfortable here too because she's not an adult." Valerie smiled softly.

"Couldn't hurt." John agreed causing Cat to smile.

"Yay." Cat jumped down from the chair and wrapped Richards jacket around herself.

"Leave that here." John frowned.

"Why? Uncle Richard wouldn't mind."

"But I do."

Cat frowned. "No." She then walked over to the two. "Hi."

"Hey." The boy hugged his sister.

"Who are you?" Cat tilted her head.

"I'm Spenser, this is Oz." The boy said.

"I'm Cat." She grinned and sat down on the floor in front of them. "Are you scared of me?"

"No." Spenser said as he shook his head. "Oz isn't going to be taken away from me is she?"

Cat blinked. "I don't think so. I'm not a worker here so I can't answer that." The violet lights etched their way across her face before disappearing.

Spenser straightened himself and relaxed slightly. "You're a bot?"

"Android. Similar to a bot." Cat said as she shifted slightly.

Spenser smiled. "Oz has synthetic eyes. She was born blind, her eyes were so beautiful but she insisted on getting the synthetics. She said she was tired of being made fun of." He sighed slightly as if reminiscing what had happened.

"What colour were they?" Cat tilted her head.

"Teal, like mine. The only difference was that they had a milky film over them."

"What colour are they now?"

"Oz, can you look at her?" Spenser asked the small girl in his arms.

She turned around slightly, crimson eyes glancing at Cat. She opened her mouth as if to speak but seemed to decide against it.

"Pretty." Cat smiled much like a small child who had been given a toy they wanted.

"You think so?" Spenser asked as Oz turned and pressed her nose into his shoulder again.

"Yeah." Cat stood up and straightened Richard's jacket. "Do you want to talk to one of my daddies?"

"You have two dads?" Spenser tilted his head in confusion.

Cat nodded. "Do you want to talk to one?"

"Sure. Can you stay though?" Spenser asked as he shifted Oz in his arms.

Cat nodded before turning to look at Dorian. Her face lit up violet and Dorian's blue. She turned back to Spenser. "They're coming."

"I'm sure being an android comes in handy." Spenser sighed almost mournfully.

Cat shrugged and Dorian came over pulling up a chair. "Hello." He smiled at Spenser.

"Hi." Spenser shifted as if he was uncomfortable.

"I'm Dorian, DRN-0167." He sat down allowing Cat to climb into his lap. "Can you tell me anything about what happened?"

"The house burned down." Spenser said slowly as if choosing his words carefully. "I had been working on a bot, a pet."

"Why an animal?" Dorians steady gaze shifted from Spenser to John.

"Oz is allergic to animals. I thought-" He choked on his words slightly and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his arm that wasn't supporting the small girl. "I thought that if I could create one... that she'd be able to experience caring for an animal. Just once."

"And what happened?"

"It went berserk. Insane. First it attacked Dad, then it bit one of the electric cords on a lamp which started the fire. Mom was trying to help Dad get out when one of the support beams fell, she told me to get away with Oz."

Cat shifted and made a soft whimper sound. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Spenser smiled sadly. "Everyone dies eventually."

"It's true." John agreed as he ruffled Cat's hair. "Hey kiddo, you hungry?"

"Yeah!" Cat smiled and held her arms up to him.

He picked her up and looked over at Dorian. "I'm going to go take her to a noodle shop, you'll be alright here right?"

"Yeah, man." Dorian smiled. "Go have a nice lunch."

"Can you take Oz as well?" Spenser asked as the small girl tugged on his hair.

"Can we daddy?" Cat asked with a hyper smile.

"Why not?"

"I'll see you when you get back Oz."

"Ok. Spens, will everything be ok?"

Spenser looked taken aback. "Of course it will." He smiled slightly. "Go have lunch with Cat and her dad ok?"

Oz nodded and followed John to the cruiser.


	4. A Brilliant Deduction!

Dorian watched as John left with the two girls. He turned back to Spenser. "There's something else isn't there?" He watched Spenser's expression closely noticing that the grey haired boy was chewing on the inside of his cheek.

"Yeah..." He took a deep breath. "There's a lot more."

"Do you mind telling me?"

"That's why I'm here isn't it?" Spenser said as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs.

"Yeah." Dorian smiled lightly. "I guess it is."

"Yeah..." Spenser seemed to trail off on what he was thinking. "I'm sure that someone, or something, hacked the programming of my bot."

"Why do you think that?"

"I've created bots for my friends and they've been perfectly fine. Now I'm worried that whatever happened to my bot will happen to theirs."

"You seem to be putting a bunch of pressure on yourself." Dorian said.

"You don't know what it's like to do something so great that everyone looks up to you and then something glitches out then everyone hates you!" Spenser's breathing was short and panicked.

"Calm down." Dorian said soothingly. "That's what happened to the DRNs. People looked up to us and then something in our systems seemed to glitch out so they shut us down."

"Really?" Spenser asked through his fingers.

"Yeah. Is there anything else?"

"I... saw this guy. He was clad in black and he seemed to be watching me as I ran from the house with Oz. I'd seen him before, he'd never been looking at me though, and thought nothing of it. Now I'm starting to think that... that maybe he's behind what happened." Spenser shivered slightly. "What if he was sent to kill me, or worse, to kill Oz?"

"We'll make sure you're safe." Dorian assured. "We can put you and your sister in a safe-house so there's no chance of anyone hurting you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

* * *

"Papa?"

"What?" John looked into the rearview window and into Cat's violet eyes.

"Do you really like Papa Dee?" Cat's voice was small.

John blinked. "Y-yeah kid. I mean, he is the reason I adopted you."

"Are you sure? You don't seem happy when he's around." She stopped toying with Richard's jacket cuffs.

"What? No that's not it, he sometimes irritates me but it's not that I don't like him."

"Then why do you act cold towards him?" She shifted in the car seat.

"That's just it, an act." He smiled softly. "I'd never truly show him my feelings, the others would call me names."

"And you'd take their bullying?" Oz asked as she shifted her gaze from the window.

"Not exactly." The corner of his lips twitched upwards. "There'd be a lot of punches and plenty of blood."

"Gross." Cat's nose scrunched up slightly.

"I never said it would be pretty." He smirked.

"Not funny!" Cat whimpered.

"Oh calm down." John chuckled lightheartedly. "I was only teasing." He took a deep breath, not entirely understanding why he was telling the two girls. If he'd been speaking to anyone else he'd have shot them down in their questions with a harsh glare. "It would mostly be Richard who would tease me."

Cat raised a slim eyebrow and tilted her head. "Why would uncle Richard tease you if you showed your feelings?"

John raised an eyebrow. What reason would they have? "Because that's what people do," John answered simply. "People may have grown more lenient towards people of that lifestyle but that doesn't mean all of the accept them."

"So you're saying uncle Richard is one of them?"

"Not necessarily. What I'm saying is that he'd tease me, even if he was indifferent." John scratched the back of his neck as he pulled up to a noodle shop. "It's just something we do, we've never been close."

Cat looked thoughtful for a moment, the violet light twinkling on her cheek. "I don't think he's actually like that."

John turned to look at her. "What makes you say that?"

"That's his way. Some people find it necessary to mask their true intentions. Like you, you act cold to Papa because you're scared of your emotions–scared of being teased." She watched John get out of the car and open the door for herself and Oz.

John was too deep in thought to make a coherent sentence so instead he let Cat drag him inside and push him into the booth. Oz crawled into the other side beside Cat. "I think you broke him," she whispered.

Cat shook her head. "He's just thinking." When the waitress came over she took it upon herself to order for the three of them.

* * *

John walked behind Cat and Oz as they returned to the precinct. He held the door for them and followed them over to his desk. Cat immediately went to his candy drawer.

Richard came over with two holo films and handed the to the girls. "You think you could draw me some pretty pictures?" He smiled down at Cat before crouching to be more level. She nodded fervently and he ruffled her hair with a soft smile.

"Uncle Richard?"

"Yeah kiddo?"

She scrunched her nose. "If Papa were to admit he had feelings for someone would you tease him?"

Richard looked shocked by the question but took on a thoughtful expression anyway. "We're talking about John right?" Cat nodded. "I probably would."

"Why?" She was genuinely curious and fiddled with the cuff of his jacket sleeve again.

"Because it's hard to imagine him being sentimental." Richard said.

"I could say the same about you, yet here you are." John said from behind Richard, Cat's eyes widened and it was obvious she also hadn't realized his presence.

"Shut up Kennex." Richard mumbled, rubbing Cat's head again. He turned to Cat and saw her hand playing with the sleeve cuff. "You can keep the jacket, I've got others at home."

"No you don't." Oz said.

They all turned to her with various expressions. "What?"

"You only have the one jacket."

"How would you know?" Richard was starting to become defensive but Cat's small hand on his made him calm down slightly.

"Because it's easy to deduct." Oz blinked rather amusedly at them. "Isn't it obvious?" Upon seeing their blank expressions she let out an exasperated sigh. "That jacket's well worn, implying that it's the only one you have or that it's your favourite jacket. As you're not fond of showing sentiment it's obvious that it's your only one, but why? I you didn't show sentiment why keep a single jacket as if it meant something more? The answer is plain, the embroidered J.P. on the collar says quite clearly that it's been handed down, whether by your father or brother it was obvious you were very close. Therefore it would be your favourite jacket, as it comes from a family member that would say that it's very dear to you.

"If it were dear to you, why would you give it away? The answer is simple, either the person who gave it to you has passed away or you've gotten into an argument with said person, as your eyes are sad and your posture is more poor that you would normally stand the former is becoming more liable. Also the fact that if you were not sad then you would not have been so carefree on showing sentiment towards anyone in the company of your coworkers." Oz raised an eyebrow. "Have I missed anything?"

Richard gawked at her for a moment, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. "How did you...?"

"She's a genius." Spenser said as he walked over with Dorian. "I'm sorry, I'd forgotten to mention that. She doesn't talk much so it's an easy thing to forget to mention."

Richard composed himself slightly, nose twitching. He raised a hand and rubbed at his nose. "Jericho Paul." He looked at Oz. "My brother, his name was Jericho Paul. He's been in the hospital for a while now, he passed last night during the surgery."

Cat held his hand and he looked down at her with a sad smile. "Uncle Richard?" She glanced at John and Dorian, grimacing slightly before continuing. "Will you come have dinner with us tonight?"

Richard glanced at John who had started choking on his cup of coffee. With a raised eyebrow Richard spoke. "Kennex? May I?"

Still coughing, John tried to compose himself. "S-sure, but I ain't cooking."

Dorian beamed. "I'll cook. I may not be able to taste it, but I'm sure Cat will help," she nodded happily. "We'll need to do some shopping though. The only things you seem to have in your house are sardines, crackers, and beer."

John nodded slightly, absolutely lost on how he'd come to not hate Richard within the short span of six minutes. He glanced at Oz who was drawing a vase of flowers. Cat was drawing several figures. "Alright. Better start shopping then, shouldn't we?"

Dorian nodded and Cat grabbed another handful of candy, throwing a quick goodbye to the other three before following John and Dorian back to the cruiser.


End file.
